Vegetable washer



April 11, 1950 s. M CARGAR VEGETABLE WASHER Filed Jan. 20, 1947 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Q \NVENTOR GEORGE. L.MSCARGAR Awoauavs April 11, 1950 G. L. MCCARGAR VEGETABLE WASHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1947 \NVaN-rqR ea LMCCARGAR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEGETABLE WASHER George L. McCargar, Detroit, Mich. Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,096

(Cl. l'164) 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the washing of vegetables, particularly those of a leafy type, one example of which is spinach. Such vegetables when harvested are in many cases contaminated with dirt from the fields and otherwise, and before packaging for sale need to be thoroughly Washed and cleaned to remove undesirable foreign matter so that the vegetables are in a clean condition. The present invention is directed to an apparatus by means of which such washing and cleaning is performed rapidly and very effectively, such that large quantities may be continually processed.

Many of the leafy vegetables are of a tender nature and are easily bruised. Such bruising is to be avoided as far as possible, as it is inducive to a quicker deterioration and decay than if they are in perfect condition. One feature of the present invention is to provide for the washing and cleaning of large quantities of the vegetables in a continuous process in which the vegetables are necessarily handled with rapidity, and at the same time not injure them by bruising contact with other things, whereby when the vegetables have been washed, they are in a generally substantially perfect condition.

My invention is directed to a very practical and useful machine attaining the results and functions stated, as will be understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the vegetable washer of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the vegetable washer.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section therethrough.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of the receiving tank and the elevator associated therewith for carrying the processed leafy vegetables away, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section through the end of the tank at which the elevator is located.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the difierent figures of the drawings.

In the construction of the immediate washing apparatus, two spaced supporting frames are provided, one having generally vertical but somewhat inclinded legs i spaced from each other, connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 2, and below the bar 2, by a number of spaced horizontal cross-bars 3 (Fig. 2). The other frame has similar generally vertical but somewhat inclined spaced legs 4, connected at their upper ends by a horizontal cross-bar 2a and below it by cross-bar 30, (Fig. 2). Between the upper cross-bars and the legs I and 4, generally longitudinal bars 5 are used and permanently connected. The legs I are of a greater height than the legs 4, therefore the bars 5 incline downwardly from said legs I to the legs 4, and the retaining drum, hereafter described, has a similar downward inclination. Such drum is located underneath a covering housing 6 of sheet metal and of an inverted U-shaped form in cross section (Fig. 3), the lower edge portions of which bear upon and may be connected to the lower longitudinal bars 5.

Two spaced shafts 1 are mounted on and lengthwise of the frame a short distance above the lower cross-bars 3 and a, h j n therefor being supported by suitable diagonal frame members (Fig. 3) as shown. One of said shafts is driven and the other is driven by the first shaft through an endless chain 8 around suitable sprockets on the two shafts. On the shafts are spaced rollers 9 upon which the hereafter described drum is mounted for turning. The driven shaft 1 is driven by electric motor l0 (Fig. 1) with suitable belts, speed reducing mechanisms 1 l, chains and the like, as shown, to continuously drive the driven shaft 1 at a speed greatly reduced below the motor speed.

The drum I2 is of sheet metal, cylindrical in form, and around it, adjacent each end, a continuous hoop l3 of metal is permanently secured, with which hoops the rollers 9 engage, said rollers being suitably grooved at their peripheries to receive the hoops. The drum inclines downwardly from one end to the other in accordance with the inclination of the shafts l, and when the motor it is operating, the drum is continuously turned about its longitudinal axis. The end of the drum where the leafy vegetables are received. that is, the elevated end, is partially closed as at 14, leaving however, a relatively large center opening. At the lower, or delivery end the drum is likewise partially closed as at I5, and has connected therewith an outwardly flared frustro-conical outlet I6, as shown. The drum from the elevated or entrance end, at its inner side has a plurality of spaced, generally semicylindrical longitudinal ribs H of sheet metal, the form being best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and at the entrance opening at the elevated and of the drum, a trough It extends thereinto a short distance, down which the leafy vegetables are moved for entrance into the drum. The drum walls are perforated throughout, between the ribs l1 and outside of the hoops 13, with a very large number of small openings, through which 3 water and the dirt washed from the vegetables passes.

A plurality of water carrying pipes l3 extend through the lower end of the drum and lengthwise through it to the elevated end and are mounted on cross bars 3 and closed at their elevated ends by caps 20. Said pipes are connected with a supply pipe 2| (Fig. 1) leading to any suitable source of water under pressure, and each of the pipes I9 has a shutoff valve 22 by means of which the quantity of water passing may be controlled or shut off when wanted. From each of the pipes [9 a plurality of spaced nozzles 23 extend, from the two upper pipes downwardly and outwardly, and the lower pipe upwardly and outwardly as shown in Fig. 3. The rotation of the drum l2 in the direction indicated by'the arrows in Fig. 3 tends to elevate the spinach, or other leafy vegetable, upwardly and at the right hand side of the drum in such figure, the spinach being carried ahead of the ribs l1 and upon-reaching the height at which gravity operates thereagalns't, the leaves fall back and are sprayed upon all {sides by the water projected from the nozzles. It is evident that in such falling, by gravity, the leaves have a tendency to separate so that allsurfa'ces of the leaves are washed and cleaned. The downward inclination from the entrance end of the drum to its outlet end, results 'a continuous movement of the leafy vegetabiestoward, and eventually .to and through the outlet at 1 6, while thewater carrying with it dirt and other foreign material washed from the vegetables passes through the perforations in the drum andto a hopper 24 below the drum which has -a waste pipe 25 at its lowest portion leading to'adrain.

'The washed vegetables and'the like delivered at the outlet end of the drum, fall into a tank 26 substantially filled with water which, in practiceQusually carries some preservative chemical, not concerned in the present invention. The tank-29 extends away from and generally in 1ongitud'inal alinemen t with the length of the drum and adjacent the end of the tank where the leafy vegetables are delivered, a rotating paddle structure 21, driven by a motor 28, is mounted which impels the vegetable material toward the outer end of the tank.

At the outer end portion of the tank, a second come successively underneath the vegetables which are impelled toward the conveyor by the paddle 29. The washed, cleaned and treated vegetable leaves or the like are elevated, in the structure shown, to another place where further drying and eventual packaging of the leafy vegetables take place.

With a structure described, the washing and cleansing of the leafy vegetables, of which spinach is an example, is very simply, economically and expeditiously performed. A very large quantity processing is attained and the vegetables are in a clean condition without grit or other undesired foreign matter. During the movement of the vegetables through the washing drum 12, the leaves are not subjected to bruising or other injury. The smooth and rounded form of the ribs l1 eliminates all jutting corners against which the leaves might be thrown by the action of the water sprayed, so that bruising or other injury is obviated.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A vegetable washer comprising a drum substantially open at both ends, means for mounting the drum to rotate on an axis inclined to the horizontal, means for rotating said drum, means for introducing leafy vegetables into the higher end of said drum, longitudinal baflles extending inwardly from the inner side of said drum, a first nozzle within the drum and directed toward the side of the drum which moves upwardly in rotation, a second nozzle in said drum below the first nozzle directed upwardly toward the flow from said first nozzle and at a considerable angle thereto, and means for supplying liquid under pressure to said nozzles.

2. The elements of claim 1 in which said nozzles are in alinement transversely of the drum.

GEORGE L. McCARGAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 927,051 Jensen July 6, 1909 1,132,597 Marlin Mar. 23, 1915 1,275,560 Hutton Aug. 13, 1918 1,379,247 Carpenter May 24, 1921 1,494,027 Schettler May 13, 1924 2,119,170 Lott May 31, 1938 2,392,911 Gaudet Jan. 15, 1946 

